I just got off the phone with the Waldenbooks store manager. Between us we have set the date for the signing! It will be May 31st, which is a Saturday afternoon, from 2-4PM. See my previous blog entries for the location. All advertising has to be done by me, including some kind of poster they can hang in their window, explaining what, when, and where.

I just got off the phone with the manager of our local Waldenbooks store. It seems that they CAN order my book and STOCK it, which means that they CAN and WILL schedule my book signing!!

I informed the manager of my TG status and that I would be into my RLT by the time we get this set up and she replied that it would be no problem!!!

Actually, it turned into pretty much a non-contest. It's okay. I know how daunting it must be to try to complete another writers story, and truthfully I didn't expect any entries, but I thought it'd be worth a try.

I've contacted Borders Books and I have their phone number to call, Monday morning, to try and work a deal with them. So far, the manager of our local Waldenbooks is more than happy to host the signing, even though I informed her as to the content of the book, and my Trans status.

I know I've been more than a bit 'melodramatic' over the past few weeks. All I can say in my defense, is that I have been wrestling with old, bad memories and present day fears. It's taken a couple of days of "alone time" recently, to wrestle with my demons, major and minor, and at the end of that, I found myself with a new purpose, or a redux of my original purpose.

While out with friends today, Saturday, we stopped at our local mall Waldenbooks store. I casually remarked, while checking out with our books, that if I ever saw MY book in the place, I'd probably faint. The clerk, as we were leaving, asked me, "You have a book out?"

Awhile ago I posted a story, 'Let The Punishment Fit The Crime'. It got more reads and comments than anything else I've ever posted here and people want a part two. Therein lies a problem. You see, I never intended to even POST that story!

Mom came through with flying colors, my friend is FINALLY out of prison, sent there for a crime he didn't commit, and I got my first royalty check from Lulu from sales of my book, Headlights Girl!!!!!

All in all, life is pretty good right now, for the first time in a long time, even though I'm, still fighting a cold, and KimEm is in hospital.

toward the left coast and her first face to face with Chelsea. Lets give her a rousing sendoff!

Best of luck, Sephy and Chelsea! My prayers and hopes for you both go with Sephy.

Good luck huggles from
Catherine Linda Michel

In my dream, there is a place, a real life place, where those of us who have been abused, deserted, thrown out by their families, whatever, can come to for a fresh start. This is not just my dream, it's the dream of many others. This would include Sephrena's idea about a lottery monthly for someone to receive their transitional surgeries, M-F or F-M.

A news story on CNN this morning captured my immediate attention. It's about "exoskeletons" that are being developed right now, for use by the military!!

http://www.topix.com/tech/2007/11/real-life-exoskeletons-sta...

I still have you beat by a couple of years, but then, we're only a couple of kids at heart anyway, right?

Happy, happy happy Birthday Shelley, and many, many more!!!

Birthday huggles from,
Catherine Linda Michel

Last night, I called my Mother to tell her that my book had finally arrived and that I would be bringing her a copy, as she had insisted I do, when initially told that I'd even HAVE a book.

So. Yesterday I spent about 6 hours on a rickety, rusting, ready-for-the-junkyard, bus, so I could make my appointment time in Buffalo New York, at the V.A. Hospital. No real problems since I slept most of the way there, although the trip back could be a book in and of itself. *giggle*

Yesterday, Wednesday, I had my first visit with an endo. She was VERY understanding and helpful, and I ended up with patches instead of pills for my hormone treatments and, for the first time, progesterone, as well. Additionally, I made serious inquiries about an orchiectomy. I was told that the V.A doesn't "do that", but there might be a way around that.

This was at the V.A. hospital in Buffalo, New York, and I have to say that I was treated at ALL times, with respect and understanding, as well as compassion.